London Taxicab Story

The London Taxi Story.

The right to ply for hire was first given to the watermen of the river Thames by Royal Charter during the twelfth century. In those day's all the royal palaces and large mansions fronted the river Thames with the Tower of London, palace of Westminster, Lambeth Palace, Richmond Palace, Hampton Court and Windsor Castle all being on the River. Large houses like York House had their own Watergate entrance and it is still standing today as a reminder of those times.

York Watergate.

The Ferryman's Seat, Bankside.
Another reminder of the watermen still remaining is this Ferryman's Seat where the Ferryman would take his rest in between jobs.

By the year 1625 there were four wheeled coaches plying for hire and the first Hackney cab stand appeared at the May-pole in the Strand. Where Captain Baily, said to have accompanied Raleigh in his last expedition to Guiana, employed four hackney coaches, with drivers in liveries, to ply for hire, fixing his own rates. These were the first to coin the name 'Hackney Coaches' from whence all coaches for hire became known. And by the year 1636 there were 50 Hackney carriages by proclamation of King Charles I.

In 1694 under the Cromwell government 250 Hackney coaches were licensed to ply for hire in London. In 1679 the conditions of fitness for Hackney coaches was laid down - every coach shall be 10 foot long the coach shall be strong and able to carry four persons at least. No horse shall be under 14 hands in size and they must be fit and strong.

As the city grew so did the number of hackney's and by 1831 there were 1,200.

In December of 1834 Joseph Aloysious Hansom registered his Patent safety cab. Hansom sold his rights in the cab for £10,000 although it is said he was never paid, but by a strange fate Hansom's name was mistaken for the most famous cab of all, the two wheeler Hansom cab, with the driver at the rear, it was in fact the invention of John Chapman. The new owners of the Hansom cab company quickly bought Chapman's patent, and within a few months had 50 of these cabs working the London streets, and so Hansom's fame should have by rights been Chapman's.

At number 28 Sumner Place South Kensington a blue plaque reminds us that the Hansom Cab founder lived here.

The first petrol driven cabs did not enter the roads until 1903, although there were battery cabs as early as 1897 when on August the 14 the first electric cab left the depot of the London Electric Cab Co. in Juxon street Lambeth, they were called "Humming Birds" because of their quite sounding slight hum, they were considered dangerous, as people and horses could not hear them approaching. In nearby Vauxhall in 1905 the Vauxhall Motor Company brought out a similar cab to the Hansom with the driver at the rear, with out a horse, using 7-9h.p instead.

The Changing faces of the London Taxi-cab





All sketches by kind permission of William Eales

In 1869 control of the cabs was given to the Home Secretary who delegated his authority to the Commissioner of police, who in turn set up The Public Carriage Office, and because of these stringent arrangements London has the finest taxi service in the world.

The 1950's saw the Austin FX3 the father of the FX4 and grand father of the TX1-TX11

The name Taxicab is born

Wilhelm Bruhn invented the taximeter in 1891, and it is from the word taximeter that taxi became the new word for the cab. The taximeter measured the distance as well as the time taken for an accurate fare of the journey to be charged. The word comes from French taxe ('price') and Greek metron ('measure'). It was disliked by cab drivers who did not want to be told the fares to charge by machines. There were reports that Wilhelm Bruhn ended up being thrown in the river Thames by angry cab drivers, although the word taxi and taximeters were here to stay and are now in use world wide.

London by Taxi

Note: all fares mentioned in this article were correct at time of publication, but are subject to change at any time. Please verify current fares before undertaking any trip!

The legendary black taxis of London seem to have been around forever, though nowadays not all the 23,000 black cabs in greater London are black, and a modernised streamlined version has been added to the "lumpy" old beasts. The bulging roofline of these taxis was originally designed to accommodate the height of bowler hats.

Drivers with "The Knowledge"

London's black cab drivers must pass a daunting exam known as "The Knowledge" before they can sit behind the wheel. The Knowledge takes two years of study, and prospective drivers must memorize some 25,000 streets near Central London, and learn the quickest way between points. They must also know the whereabouts of every hospital, theatre, hotel, train station, etc., etc., etc. Then they sit for months of rigorous exams before being certified. Rest assured that a driver of a black taxi knows his or her stuff!

Taxis are a good option for groups of people sharing the fare, which can be steep - the meter starts ticking at £1.40, and rises by 20p with every 219 metres travelled. You can hail a taxi by raising your arm when you see the yellow sign above the windscreen illuminated. If you don't see a yellow sign at all, you are looking at a minicab (see below).

Be aware that evening rates are more expensive, with a 60p surcharge kicking in at 8pm, up to 90p after midnight. Tipping at about 10% is expected.

Note that it can be difficult to hail a cab in popular tourist or nightclub areas, and drivers are perfectly within their rights to refuse a fare, especially if they suspect you've been partying hard. You can phone Radio Taxis at 7272 0272 to order a cab, but you'll pay an extra £1.20.

Some companies offer you the chance to tour London in a black taxi, or use one for a personalised shopping trip. Some of these touring taxis are "open-top" versions. Try London Tours web site for details of tours by taxi.

Taxi Trivia

The cab that most people associate with London taxis was the Austin FX-4, introduced in 1959. The model, with many modifications over the years, remained in production until 1997, making it one of the longest running production vehicles in history.

Minicabs
An alternative to the traditional black London taxis are minicabs. Despite the name, minicabs may offer space for more passengers than a black taxi; traditional London taxis can seat 5 passengers, while minicabs seat from 4 (most common) to 7 people. These cabs are unmarked, and cannot be hailed on the street like a black taxi; minicabs must be called for by telephone from a Licensed Private Hire Operator (see a searchable list of licensed operators at the Public Carriage Office website http://www.tfl.gov.uk/pco/ph_ops_list.shtml). Your hotel staff, waiters, or host should have a telephone list of licensed operators.

Travel safe - You can arrange a password with the dispatcher, and the driver will give you the password when the minicab arrives. The driver should also know your name and destination. The Public Carriage Office also recommends that you always sit in the rear of the cab, and always carry a mobile phone.

Minicabs do not have metres, they charge by the mile and at the current time prices vary between £1 - £1.50 per mile. Ask for the fare when calling for a minicab, and verify the fare with the driver before starting your journey.

Note that all journeys are uninsured unless you book through a Licensed Private Hire Operator by phone, fax or E-mail.

Please be warned: "Gypsy cabs" are frequent in Central London; these unmarked vehicles are unlicensed and uninsured, and the drivers may attempt to pass themselves off as legitimate minicab operators. Gypsy cab drivers swarm major tourist areas like Leicester Square, Theatreland, and Soho, and may approach likely prospects looking for business. Do not be tempted. If you need a cab, phone for a licensed operator.

Minicabs were for many years pefectly legal - but unlicensed. Operators are now working with London's Public Carriage Office to implement a licensing scheme, expected to take full effect by 2006. Because the licensing procss is not yet complete, some operators may carry temporary licenses.

Just for Women
Women traveling alone can opt to call Lady Mini Cabs (020 7272 3300), a minicab service run exclusively by women for women. This company provides a popular and safe way for women to travel in and around London, especially late at night.

London Taxi Fares

From the iconic London black cab to a local minicab, we've got all the information you need to help you travel around London.

London's Black Cabs

Complete your London experience with a ride in a black cab! London's classic black cabs also come decorated in a dazzling palette of colours these days.

Black cabs can be hailed in the street or at designated ranks situated in prominent places, including many mainline rail, Tube and bus stations. They can also be booked by telephone.

If the yellow TAXI sign at the front is illuminated, the cab is available for hire. Black cabs are legally obliged to take on any job for journeys up to 12 miles (20 miles for cabs at the Heathrow Airport taxi ranks), or up to one hour duration.

London Cabs Fares and Tips

Fares are metered, and there is a minimum charge of £2.20. Black cabs are licensed to carry up to five people (six in the special Metrocabs and Mercedes Vitos) plus luggage. There are no additional charges for extra passengers or items of luggage within these limits. 

There is a £2 charge when you take a black cab from Heathrow Airport and also a £2 charge when you book a black cab by telephone.

Many black cabs accept payment by credit or debit card but check with the driver before the trip starts. If you pay by card there is an additional charge, which is typically between 10% to 15% of the fare.

You can tip taxi drivers as much as you like, but most people round up to the nearest pound.

London Black Cab Accessibility

All black cabs are wheelchair accessible and most have a variety of additional aids for travellers, including:

• Ramps
• Swivel seat
• Intermediate step
• Seat sight patches
• Large coloured grab handles
• Intercom
• Induction loop
• Carry assistance dogs at no extra charge

Licensed Private Hire Vehicles and MiniCabs in London

Private hire covers a wide range of services, from local minicab companies to chauffeur driven limousines.

Private hire vehicles and minicabs must be booked at an office, by telephone or email. Reputable, licensed minicab companies can offer a cheaper alternative to the black cab. While their fares are generally reasonable, they are not on a meter, instead you should ask how much the trip will cost when you make a booking.

If you want to book a private hire vehicle or minicab by telephone then most hotels and hostels will have a list of reputable, licensed operators. You will also find minicab offices on most high streets.

All licensed private hire vehicles have a distinctive Transport for London licence disc in the front and rear windscreen. You can check with Transport for London or cabwise (see links below) to find out if an operator is licensed.

Licensed Private Hire Vehicles Accessibility

A wide range of cars are used as private hire vehicles and when you make a booking you should check with the operator whether their vehicles meet your accessibility requirements.

Private hire vehicles carry assistance dogs at no extra charge.

Stay Safe in London

Unbooked minicabs are illegal. You may be approached by minicab drivers seeking passengers or offering a service; avoid this as these are unsafe, unlicensed, uninsured and illegal and you put yourself in danger if you use these services.

Booking your minicab guarantees that your trip will be carried out by a licensed driver in a licensed vehicle. It also means that a record is kept of your journey, your driver and the vehicle used so, in the event of any problems, the driver can be traced.

Only taxis (black cabs) can be stopped by customers and can pick up off the street. Even minicabs lined up outside pubs and clubs are breaking the law if they accept your fare without a booking being made first. Many clubs have licensed minicab operators inside who can take your booking. Check with staff to see if a minicab service is available.

Stay Safe with Cabwise - Transport for London's Text Service

Text CAB to 60835, and you'll receive two minicab numbers and one taxi (black cab) number straight back to your mobile phone by text. You don't even need to say where you are as your location is plotted using GPS. So save 60835 to your mobile now and it'll be there whenever you need it.

Text charged at 35p per enquiry plus standard text message rate. Roaming rates apply to overseas networks. Customers on the 3 network need to enter different information. See tfl.gov.uk/cabwise for further details.

LTI Vehicles

LTI Vehicles (and its predecessors) has manufactured more than 100,000 taxis including the:

• FX series
• FX3 in 1948
• FX4 in 1958

• Fairway series
• Fairway in 1989
• Fairway Driver in 1992
• Fairway Driver-Plus in 1993
• Fairway 95 in 1994

• TX series
• TX1 in 1997
• TXII in 2002 - 2006

London taxi cabs luxury taxis

All Taxi's are fully Licensed and have wheel chair accessibility. London Taxi drivers are the best and most knowledgeable in the world. There is a rigorous training course, to becoming a taxi driver which is why they are the best. Our taxis have heating, air conditioning and electric windows which all add to a comfortable journey.

They also have comfortable velour seats and carpet. With a sophisticated speaker phone you can speak to the driver with ease, as the small microphones and speakers around the windows allow you to easily communicate. But they can also be switched off by passengers for your privacy.

The front and back of the taxi has stylish wooden touches. Which helps you travel in luxury. These features make the taxi an excellent choice for long journeys, tours and weddings.

New appointment hails Middle Eastern taxi growth

LTI Vehicles has appointed a new International Sales Manager to further develop opportunities across the Middle East.

David Bentley, aged 53, joins the global taxi firm having managed one of the largest Jaguar dealerships in the world.  Based in Riyadh, David will be responsible for developing The London Taxi Service under The London Taxi Company brand to make it the first choice for limousine operators and passengers across the region.

Married with two children, David is passionate about walking in the Lake District, where he has a holiday home, and is a keen golfer with his favourite course being the Buck Sands Golf Course in Kuwait.

"I'm delighted to join LTI Vehicles at this very exciting stage," commented David on his new role.  "I'm looking forward to working closely alongside the newly acquired and existing dealers across the Middle East to introduce a taxi service that provides a first class ride and experience."

Matthew Cheyne, International Development Director for LTI Vehicles, said: "David's experience and forward-thinking approach make him the ideal person to add significant value to our international activity.  This appointment also underlines the progress we've made over the last twelve months as we expand into countries such as Bahrain and Saudi Arabia."

London Taxi Cabs

London taxi cabs, use a London cab for airport transfers, Heathrow airport, Gatwick airport, Stansted airport, Luton airport, London taxi tour, wedding taxis. All in a London black taxi cab.

London taxi cabs is a service which allows you to book a black London taxi cab for your journey or tour knowing that it will be waiting for you, wherever your traveling from. Whether you want to go sight seeing around London while on holiday or just picked up, and taken to or from the airport we will work around you. Always use a licensed London taxi cab. No matter where your going we will be able to get you there on time and in luxury. Our fully licensed taxis are the only vehicles that can use the fast bus lanes in London which helps you get to your destination fast and on time. All our taxis are wheelchair accessible and our taxis accept all major credit cards. You can also pre pay for your journey online when you make your booking. Saving you the trouble of having money on the day to pay the taxi driver.

Use London taxi cabs for airport transfers, our taxis go to all major airports in and around London including transfers to and from Heathrow airport, Gatwick airport, Stansted airport, Luton airport, and City airport in a London taxi cab. Our drivers will meet and greet you for your London taxi airport transfer. You can find more information on the airports themselves by clicking on the following links: Heathrow airport taxi transfer, Gatwick airport taxi cab transfer, Stansted airport black taxi transfer, Luton airport black taxi transfer, and City airport London black taxi transfer.

We also provide London taxi cab tours and day trips. Even if you only have a few hours to spare between connecting flights at the airport, you can see come and see the sites. Whether it is Big Ben and Buckingham Palace that you want to see, or maybe go to one of the wonderful museums in London. We will take you on a great tour in a world famous London taxi cab.

If you are going on a cruise you will want to get to the cruise port in comfort. We can provide black taxi cabs to pick you up and take you to and from the cruise port. We make regular journeys to and from Southampton, Portsmouth, Dover, Harwich and Folkestone.

The London Taxi Service delights the Middle East

Over 12 months ago the iconic London Taxi arrived in The Middle East and proved an instant success in Bahrain.  Today 200 vehicles operate there and are the first choice for thousands of discerning passengers.

Since the introduction of the legendary vehicle in Bahrain other countries across The Middle East have also enjoyed the benefits of this unique vehicle.

The London Taxi Service now operates in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Egypt with planned expansion into Kuwait and other Middle Eastern states.  Already several hotels and rental companies have expressed their interest in using The London Taxi Service to keep ahead of the competition with this new business venture.  For this reason LTI Vehicles (London Taxis International) are now looking for suitable partners who want to share in their success and operate the service at the same high UK standards, drivers and first class after sales service for the taxis.

"The development of a transport and taxi system will play a major role in improving the lifestyle of those living across the Middle East," said David Bentley, International Sales Manager for London Taxis International.  "With the introduction of this unique British cab we have already seen how it can add value by boosting jobs and improving the comfort and safety of passengers. This has already been proven with our success in Bahrain and the large number of enquiries we have received from potential dealers, drivers and passenger groups who have expressed their interest in bringing this fantastic vehicle to their country."

The professional London Taxi Service uses the instantly recognisable London Taxi to provide a premium service that is globally recognised for being fun, efficient and safe.  All drivers are fully trained in driving capability, courtesy, local knowledge and concierge skills and bare the quality mark of a London Taxi driver who is trained to deliver a high class service.

Passengers can relax in the comfort of their own private space, as the London Taxi has been specially designed to seat passengers in a separate compartment from the driver.  This unique configuration has been created to enhance the passenger experience and means they cannot be overheard if they don't want to be.

"It's our job to understand what visitors want when they travel around your city," continued David.  "As the only manufacturer of the London Taxi, we have evolved over many decades to provide a vehicle that is the ultimate in convenience, comfort and privacy.  It's a product with strength, longevity and security that benefits from having five seats and accessibility features such as a built in ramp as standard, wide easy-to-open doors, a built in swivel seat and high visibility grab handles. 

"In the Middle East, the vehicle has also been specially adapted to cope with the hotter climate.  Built with a higher specification of air conditioning, tinted windows and parts that allow for expansion in the heat, the taxi has been designed to move customers about rather than use the more traditional saloon taxis.  Many of these are aged over 16 years and don't withstand the rigors of the unique taxi duty cycle."

Built in the UK for over sixty years, London Taxis International takes great pride in the robust design of its vehicles.  Renowned for their longevity and durability, each vehicle is purpose built to the highest standard.  Shanghai LTI, a joint venture with Geely, has seen the UK company transform itself into a global brand.  This has helped with expansion internationally and delivered benefits to the UK operation by allowing LTI to take advantage of more cost-effective components for their current range.

David concluded: "Our joint venture has helped us take the London Taxi globally.  There are over 100 vehicles in Riyadh KSA operating as The London Car Club with even more on order for Lebanon and Egypt.  In Lebanon they have even ordered three vehicles specifically designed as luxury taxis for wedding services.  The service has proved to be an instant success and now plans are under way to launch the vehicles in Kuwait and other Middle Eastern countries.

"It's easy to understand the benefits that the London Taxi Service delivers and we would encourage those who are interested in this exciting opportunity to get in touch."

If you're interested in taking advantage of a tailor made taxi service that sets you apart from the competition then email enquiries@taxiservicelondon.co.uk or visit www.londontaxis.co.uk.

WELCOME to LONDON TAXI

Welcome to the New Look London-Taxi website. We hope that you will find the information within this site useful this site is owned and maintained by a working London Taxi driver, Jamie Owens, and has no association with any licensing authority. Let us show you a little about the London Taxi Trade. We hope you will find something of interest within this site as we have tried to cater for everyone, whether you are visiting London as a tourist or business person, a Taxi Driver, undertaking the Knowledge of London or you are interested in London and it's Taxis. Please feel free to send us your feedback as constructive criticism is always welcome. We hope you enjoy your visit. If there is anything new that you would like to see on this site then please let us know as we are always open to suggestions.

London Taxi Fares

Transport for London

Taxi fares

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The table shows typical fares and journey times based on distance for three types of tariff. Fares and journey times may be higher if there are delays or heavy traffic. 

Distance	Approx journey time	Monday to Friday 06:00 - 20:00 (Tariff code 1)	Monday to Friday 20:00 - 22:00 Saturday and Sunday 06:00 - 22:00 (Tariff code 2)	Every night 22:00 - 06:00 Public holidays (Tariff code 3)
1 mile	5 - 12 mins	£4.60 - £8.40	£5.00 - £8.60	£5.20 - £8.60
2 miles	8 - 15 mins	£7.20 - £11.20	£7.20 - £11.20	£8.00 - £12.40
4 miles	15 - 30 mins	£11 - £19	£13 - £19	£15 - £23
6 miles	20 - 40 mins	£17 - £28	£19 - £28	£23 - £34
Between Heathrow and Central London	30 - 60 mins	£43 - £75	£43 - £75	£43 - £75

There is a minimum fare of £2.20 at all times.

How it works:

The meter calculates the maximum fare based on:

• Time of day
• Distance travelled
• Taxi speed

The passenger will be expected to pay the full fare displayed on the meter at the end of the journey unless the driver and passenger agree on the final fare to be charged before the start of the journey.

What you can expect from the driver:

Unless they have a good reason not to, drivers must:

• Accept any hiring up to 12 miles or any hiring up to one hour duration, if the destination is in Greater London
• Accept any hiring up to 20 miles if starting at Heathrow Airport
• Accept any hiring up to one hour duration, if the destination is in Greater London

Fares for destinations outside Greater London may be negotiated between the passenger and driver before the journey. If no fare is agreed before the start of the journey then the maximum fare will be that shown on the meter at the end of the journey

London Taxi Tour

LONDON TAXI TOUR

	The London Taxi's are almost as famous as the City of London, England itself. Londontaxitour.com offer unique taxi cab tours of London and the surrounding countryside so that you can maximise your time and energy whilst on holiday or business.  Our unique air-conditioned taxi cab tours offer fixed price sightseeing tours of all the historical London landmarks and historical buildings. With your own personal City of London Guide and taxi we can ensure you capture the most from your tour whether it's in London or taking a day trip out of London into the English countryside. We offer a range of tours from three to twelve hours. Whether it is a short 3 hour tour to make the most of the day you arrive and allow you to get your bearings of all the sights within London, or our extensive range of England Tours, which include the Famous Harry Potter tours , you can make the most of these tours as they are designed for children as well as adults. Although they trace the steps of the most famous wizard, they are filmed in some of the most beautiful places, allowing you time to visit 14th century villages. If you don't see the London taxi tour you would like or you have a special interest, feel free to contact us and we will try and make it happen. Our London Airport transfers are fully inclusive into Central London and if you have time to burn while waiting for a connection flight, why not take one of our London Airport Layover tours and pop into London and get shown the sights or do a little shopping, always making the most of your time and holiday or business journey. We now have an extensive range of souvenirs for sale on our web site, so if its the forgotten present or not had time to shop for that essential London gift, then we can arrange for you driver to give them to you during your tour. Throughout our website, you can view information relating to the history of London and England, the buildings and favourite tourist attractions within London itself. The children can visit Stuart and Michael's page and see what they have to say about the famous places in London that they have visited. This will give you a very good idea from a child's perspective. For shopping in London, please visit our specialist shopping pages.

London Girls

Being a London girl myself who is away from home a lot, I like to keep up with what's happening in my home town while I am on the move. CH has been appreciating London's creativity a lot this year. Famously innovative, eclectic and eccentric, London is still staking its claim on the world style map. These five inspiring women are proving the point nicely.

Juliet Rose
The poetry of quotidian objects is expressed beautifully in Juliet's boldy coloured graphic paintings.

Lily Allen
For many Lily was the best thing to hit the pop scene in 2006. Young, fresh, and opinionated with a funky beat. She makes you want to Smile.

Laura Bethan Wood
Nothing more British than a good cup of tea. Wood's clever graphic treatment of the traditional tea cup made us want to put the kettle on more often.

Linda Florence
Making two appearances on CH this year was Florence's scratchcard wallpaper. Gorgeously ornate graphics with the added fun of being interactive. The multi layered installation of her wallpaper designs during London Design Week was the highlight at Canary Wharf.

The Specials and more added to Oxegen bill - Lily Allen

London by Taxi and Cab Fares

London by Taxi

The legendary black taxis of London seem to have been around forever, though nowadays not all the 23,000 black cabs in greater London are black, and a modernised streamlined version has been added to the "lumpy" old beasts. The bulging roofline of these taxis was originally designed to accommodate the height of bowler hats.
Drivers with "The Knowledge"
London's black cab drivers must pass a daunting exam known as "The Knowledge" before they can sit behind the wheel. The Knowledge takes two years of study, and prospective drivers must memorize some 25,000 streets near Central London, and learn the quickest way between points. They must also know the whereabouts of every hospital, theatre, hotel, train station, etc., etc., etc. Then they sit for months of rigorous exams before being certified. Rest assured that a driver of a black taxi knows his or her stuff!

Taxis are a good option for groups of people sharing the fare, which can be steep - the meter starts ticking at £1.40, and rises by 20p with every 219 metres travelled. You can hail a taxi by raising your arm when you see the yellow sign above the windscreen illuminated. If you don't see a yellow sign at all, you are looking at a minicab (see below).

Be aware that evening rates are more expensive, with a 60p surcharge kicking in at 8pm, up to 90p after midnight. Tipping at about 10% is expected.

Note that it can be difficult to hail a cab in popular tourist or nightclub areas, and drivers are perfectly within their rights to refuse a fare, especially if they suspect you've been partying hard. You can phone Radio Taxis at 7272 0272 to order a cab, but you'll pay an extra £1.20.

London taxi fares set to rise by 2.3%

Transport for London says the average cost of hailing a black cab will increase to £10.39 during the day and £14.15 at night

Despite pay freezes elsewhere, London taxi fares are set to rise to take into account rising operating costs Photograph: Getty

Londoners, daytrippers and tourists who make use of the capital's black taxis will be familiar with a tightening in the throat and sweaty palms when it comes to paying what often appears to be an astronomical fare. This is set to get worse from today as taxi fares in the capital defy the pay freezes in place elsewhere, and rise by 2.3%.

The average cost of hailing a black cab will increase to £10.39 during the day and £14.15 at night, according to Transport for London (TFL). The fare rise, the lowest annual increase since 2004, aims to take into account the rise in average national earnings and will also help drivers cover rising operating costs, which include increases to insurance and fuel costs, it said. Earlier this week, petrol prices rose to an average of £1.20 a litre, the highest on record.

The mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: "The capital is blessed with wonderful cabbies and we've deliberated long and hard to come up with an increase we think is fair to everyone during these tough economic times."

Bob Oddy, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association, said: "We welcome this small but important increase. Like everyone else, London's cabbies continue to face significant challenges."

While taxis drivers might breath a sigh of relief at the rise, passengers are likely to be less impressed. Anyone making a journey of more than a few miles will be used to paying substantially more than the average price quoted by TFL.

Before today's rise is taken into account, to travel six miles in the capital cost between £17 and £33, depending on the time of day and how long the journey takes. Meanwhile, a journey between Heathrow and central London typically cost between £40 and £75, though delays or heavy traffic can make this higher.

A separate scheme due to start this autumn will see the cost of a taxi from central London to elsewhere in the capital rise to up to £50. The "golden fares" scheme, devised by Westminster council, will operate from a taxi rank in Leicester Square on Friday and Saturday nights and will require passengers to pay before they get in the taxi.

Minimum rates will start at £20 for up to three miles and will rise to £30 for seven-mile trips. Ten-mile journeys will cost £40, while journeys up to 12 miles will cost £50.

However, price increases are unlikely to deter people from taking the capital's black cabs. Last year the vehicles were voted the best taxis in the world in a survey for the website Hotels.com, despite also being voted the most expensive. London cabbies, who can spend up to four years studying the Knowledge, the infamous in-depth study of a number of pre-set London street routes, were voted the world's friendliest and knowledgeable taxi drivers.

How much will you pay for a taxi in other cities?

City; initial meter charge (£); rate per mile (£); cost of a 10 mile journey

New York City 1.51 1.21 £13.61

Beijing 0.88 0.27 £3.58

Tokyo 4.51 3.20 £36.51

Dubai 0.49 0.43 £4.79

Paris 1.90 1.19 £13.80

Rome 2.41 1.27 £15.11

Mexico 1.11 0.45 £5.61

Source: Mercer Cost of Living survey comparison, September 2009

London Taxi Fares

London Taxi Black Cab Fares
There is a £2.20 minimum taxi black cab fare at all times
The fare shown on the meter at the end of the journey is the maximum cash fare that may be charged.
The passenger will be expected to pay the full fare amount displayed on the meter at the end of the journey unless the driver and passenger agree on the final fare to be charged before the start of the journey.
The taxi meter automatically adds a charge based on time for any part of the journey when the speed drops below 10.4 mph.
Fares within Greater London depend on the time of day, distance travelled and taxi speed, and are displayed on the meter.
The driver is not obliged to accept a hiring if the destination is outside Greater London, the fare for such a journey may be negotiated between the driver and hirer.

Taxi Ranks in London

There are about 500 taxi ranks in the London area. Their purpose is to provide the public with set locations where they can hire licensed taxis.

A rank is the only place where you can hire a taxi while it's stationary. 

Ranks are located in places where people most need taxis, including mainline railway stations, hotels and major shopping areas. 

Stations

Ranks can be found at the following London rail stations:

• Kings Cross
• Euston
• St Pancras
• Marylebone
• Liverpool Street
• Fenchurch Street
• Waterloo
• Charing Cross
• London Bridge
• Victoria and Paddington

Blackfriars and Cannon Street stations also provide a taxi service during the working week.

Hotels

Most major hotels in London have working ranks. They include:

• The Dorchester
• The Hilton
• The Ritz
• Le Meridian (Piccadilly)
• Intercontinental (Park Lane)
• Grosvenor House Hotel

Stores

Some major London stores also have ranks outside their premises, including:

• Harrods
• Selfridges
• John Lewis
• Marks & Spencer (Marble Arch)

Attractions

Ranks can be found several Underground stations and major tourist attractions. These include:

• Sloane Square (in the central island)
• South Kensington Underground station (Harrington Road)
• V&A Museum (Cromwell Gardens)
• Tower of London
• Tate Gallery Britain (Millbank)
• Tate Gallery Modern (private facility - serviced by taxis)

Shopping centres

Outside central London, major taxi ranks tend to be at railway stations and key shopping centres. For example:

• Harrow
• Richmond
• Wimbledon
• Sutton
• East Croydon
• Romford
• Upminster
• Uxbridge
• Ealing Broadway
• Woolwich
• Bromley
• Wembley Park
• Lewisham
• Stratford

The above are just a selection of ranks found in London. In order to provide the best service for passengers,  we are constantly looking for new and better locations for ranks.

London Taxi Sharing Scheme Order 2005

Sometimes passengers have a common destination and taxi sharing is of benefit:

• Passengers pay lower fares for door-to-door journeys than they would if travelling alone
• If there is a long queue of passengers or a local shortage of taxis, passenger waiting times will be reduced

These arrangements not only benefit customers, but the trade and local communities too:

• Drivers get more revenue for each trip than they normally would
• There are fewer taxi trips overall, resulting in less noise, disruption, traffic congestion and pollution

Fixed-fare taxi sharing operates as follows:

• Regular weekday morning services from Paddington to central London and other important destinations
• Regular weekday morning services from Euston to central London 
• Services between the All England Lawn Tennis Club and Wimbledon and Southfields Tube stations during the Wimbledon tennis tournament
• From Buckingham Palace at the end of royal garden parties to destinations around central London

London Taxi

The table shows typical fares and journey times based on distance for three types of tariff. Fares and journey times may be higher if there are delays or heavy traffic. 

Distance	Approx journey time	Monday to Friday 06:00 - 20:00 (Tariff code 1)	Monday to Friday 20:00 - 22:00 Saturday and Sunday 06:00 - 22:00 (Tariff code 2)	Every night 22:00 - 06:00 Public holidays (Tariff code 3)
1 mile	5 - 12 mins	£4.60 - £8.40	£5.00 - £8.60	£5.20 - £8.60
2 miles	8 - 15 mins	£7.20 - £11.20	£7.20 - £11.20	£8.00 - £12.40
4 miles	15 - 30 mins	£11 - £19	£13 - £19	£15 - £23
6 miles	20 - 40 mins	£17 - £28	£19 - £28	£23 - £34
Between Heathrow and Central London	30 - 60 mins	£43 - £75	£43 - £75	£43 - £75

There is a minimum fare of £2.20 at all times.

How it works:

The meter calculates the maximum fare based on:

• Time of day
• Distance travelled
• Taxi speed

The passenger will be expected to pay the full fare displayed on the meter at the end of the journey unless the driver and passenger agree on the final fare to be charged before the start of the journey.

What you can expect from the driver:

Unless they have a good reason not to, drivers must:

• Accept any hiring up to 12 miles or any hiring up to one hour duration, if the destination is in Greater London
• Accept any hiring up to 20 miles if starting at Heathrow Airport
• Accept any hiring up to one hour duration, if the destination is in Greater London

Fares for destinations outside Greater London may be negotiated between the passenger and driver before the journey. If no fare is agreed before the start of the journey then the maximum fare will be that shown on the meter at the end of the journey

London Taxi License Plate

Ref Number :TX18 - London Taxi License Plate.
London Taxi License Plate.
London Public Carriage Office Taxi License Plate
Metal Enamelled Plate From Rear of Taxi & Internal Matching Number Plate.
Rear Plate Size length 23½cm x height 16½cm
Internal  Plate Size length 11½cm x height 5cm		London Taxi License plate: Here is an opportunity to own an original (rare) metal and enamel license plate, which were formally on the rear boot (trunk) of the London Black Taxi's as well as in the interior. These plates were on general sale (with only a few sold) for a very short time before being withdrawn.
UK PRICE   £ 160.00 inc P&P
REST OF WORLD PRICE £180.00 inc P&P
http://www.londontaxitour.com/london-taxi-tour-souvenir-gift-shop-london-taxi-plate.htm

London Taxi Fares

London Taxi Fares in 2005

Typical taxi fares and journey times:

Tariff code on meter		1	2	3
Distance (miles)	Approx journey time	Monday to Friday 6am to 8pm	Monday to Friday 8pm to 10pm Saturday and Sunday 6am to 10pm	Every night 10pm – 6am Public holidays
1	5–12 mins	£4.00 - £5.60	£4.40 - £7.00	£4.80 - £6.40
2	8-15 mins	£6.20 - £8.80	£6.60 - £10.20	£7.80 - £10.40
4	15–30 mins	£10 - £14	£12 - £17	£14 - £17
6	20–40 mins	£14 - £19	£17 - £20	£20 - £23
Between Heathrow and Central London	30–60 mins	£40 - £70

• There is a £2.20 minimum fare at all times
• The fare shown on the meter at the end of the journey is the maximum cash fare that may be charged. The passenger will be expected to pay the full fare displayed on the meter at the end of the journey unless the driver and passenger agree on the final fare to be charged before the start of the journey.
• The meter automatically adds a charge based on time for any part of the journey when the speed drops below 10.4 mph.
• Fares within Greater London depend on the time of day, distance travelled and taxi speed, and are displayed on the meter. The driver is not obliged to accept a hiring if the destination is outside Greater London, and the fare for such a journey may be negotiated between the driver and hirer.
• Drivers must, unless they have good cause, accept any hiring up to 12 miles (20 miles if starting at Heathrow Airport), or up to one hour duration, if the destination is in Greater London.
   

Fares - detailed

Taxi Fares and Tariffs

Drivers must, unless they have good cause, accept any hiring up to 12 miles (20 miles if starting at Heathrow Airport), or up to one hour duration, if the destination is in Greater London. The driver is not obliged to accept a hiring if the destination is outside Greater London, the fare for such a journey may be negotiated between the driver and hirer.

Taxi Tariff Details 2005/06

Below are details of the 2005/06 taxi tariff. The figures quoted include an environmental charge of 20p per trip to meet the cost of emissions reduction equipment. Other extra charges may be included in the final fare.

For any hiring during Monday to Friday other than on a public holiday between 6am and 8pm (Tariff 1):

• For the first 335.8 metres or 72.2 seconds (whichever is reached first) there is a minimum charge of £2.20;
• For each additional 167.9 metres or 36.1 seconds (whichever is reached first), or part thereof, if the fare is less than £13.40 then there is a charge of 20p;
• Once the fare is £13.40 or greater then there is a charge of 20p for each additional 117.7 metres or 25.3 seconds (whichever is reached first), or part thereof.

For any hiring either during Monday to Friday between 8pm and 10pm or during Saturday or Sunday between 6am and 10pm, other than on a public holiday, (Tariff 2):

• For the first 272.0 metres or 58.4 seconds (whichever is reached first) there is a minimum charge of £2.20;
• For each additional 136.0 metres or 29.2 seconds (whichever is reached first), or part thereof, if the fare is less than £16.20 there is a charge of 20p;
• Once the fare is £16.20 or greater then there is a charge of 20p for each additional 117.7 metres or 25.3 seconds (whichever is reached first), or part thereof.

For any hiring between 10pm on any day and 6am the following day or at any time on a public holiday (Tariff 3):

• For the first 219.6 metres or 47.2 seconds (whichever is reached first) there is a minimum charge of £2.20;
• For each additional 109.8 metres or 23.6 seconds (whichever is reached first), or part thereof, if the fare is less than £19.40 there is a charge of 20p;
• Once the fare is £19.40 or greater then there is a charge of 20p for each additional 117.7 metres or 25.3 seconds (whichever is reached first).

When a different tariff becomes applicable during a hiring it shall be applied immediately, but only from the start of the new charging period.

 

Extra charges

1. Telephone Booking
There is an extra charge of up to £2 if the taxi is booked by telephone

2. Heathrow extra
There is an extra charge of £1 for journeys that start from Heathrow Airport ranks and finish within Greater London.

3. Christmas and New Year There is an extra charge of £3 for journeys made between 8pm on 24 December and 6am on 27 December or between 8pm on 31 December and 6am on 2 January 2006

4. Bank cards
Where credit or debit are accepted there is a typical surcharge of between 10% and 15% of the metered fare.

5. Soiling
The driver may charge the hirer up to £40 for soiling that requires the taxi to be taken out of service for cleaning

There are no extra charges for luggage or additional passengers

The metered fare includes an environmental charge of 20p per trip to meet the cost of emissions reduction equipment.

All fare and tariff information shown on these pages is effective from Saturday 2 April 2005

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MOT Test

The Ministry of Transport test (more usually: MOT) is an annual test of automobile safety, roadworthiness aspects and exhaust emissions which are applicable to most vehicles over three years old in the United Kingdom if they are used on public roads.

The name derives from the Ministry of Transport,^[1] a defunct Government department which was one of several ancestors of the current Department for Transport, but is still officially used. The MOT test certificates are currently issued in Great Britain under the auspices of the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA), an agency within the Department for Transport. Certificates in Northern Ireland are issued by the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA).

Many local car repair garages throughout Great Britain are authorised to perform testing and to issue certificates. In Northern Ireland tests are performed exclusively at the DVA's own test centres.

Taxi Forums

Peterpaul I'm just testing the water here. UK Business Forums Free Member   Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 10 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts

Taxi's / Taxi Plates Hi guys I dont really post much but I do view a lot of the threads and try to learn as much as possible as there are obviously some very knowledgable people on here. The main purpose of this post is to ask for some information. I've managed to save up some money as ever since I left school (im 25 now) i've always wanted to have my own business. I know some people who have their own business and am under no illusions as to the amount of work and effort that has to be put into it, especially to get it up and running and established. I'll be honest and say that i've never had my own business as such as up until recently i've already had a steady job so always felt it was a bit of a risk to leave that to start up a business with no practical experience of running a proper business. However I was recently paid off and thought about starting up, however the current economic climate has definetly put me of off starting up (for now) but I have also noted the poor interest on saving's accounts (i've used up my ISA allowance and dont fancy the stock market at the moment). So I was thinking what the best thing to do with my money until I come up with a solid business idea and "go for it" would be basically keep it safe and try and "earn" as much from it as possible. I know someone who has some taxi's on the road and he rents them out for a certain sum every week. However if there are repairs etc he has to pay for these. His drivers only pay for the hire of the "package" that is the car, plate, radios and of course they have to pay for their own fuel. To get to the point (sorry for waffling) i've been offered another job and i think im going to take it so I wont really have the time to deal with getting repairs done, arranging for MOT's, new tyres and break pads to be fitted etc. Also I dont really have the proper connections that would allow me to get a taxi on the ramp in a garage ASAP after any fault occurred which could mean it could be off the road for days so it would not be making any money on those days. I was thinking about instead of getting a taxi on the road buying a taxi plate. The problem is it seems to be a bit of a "shady world". By that I mean absolutely no disrespect to drivers or owner/operators etc. Its just that from what i've found out, these plates, technically, should have no monetry value. Again this is just what i've found out and might very well be wrong, but apparantly "in the beginning" a council will look at how many taxi's are required on the roads and issue a certain amount of plates. People then apply for these plates and although i say no monetry value they may have to pay a small fee at first for council admin fees or whatever, but apparantly this is just a few hundred pounds if that. They then have a plate and thats fine. However once all the plates are issued then if someone wants one from a person who has been issued one then really they have to pay for it. Its not just a few hundred pounds either some of them are changing hands for around the 20 grand mark. If you cant afford to buy the plate from someone then you can rent it for around 100 pounds per week. Now I was looking at this and started to think thats 5 grand per year, which equates to 25% interest? That cant be bad where do I sign up to buy a plate from someone? The problem I have is that the whole thing seems a little "corrupt" as I've heard that council officials made sure that people they knew got some of the plates (not all of them of course) so thats basically someone has paid a couple of hundred pounds and then they either sell it for 20 grand or rent it out for 100 pounds per week. Again I didnt have too much of a problem with that as sometimes it does really pay to be in something from the ground floor so good on the people who foresaw the business opportunity and got the plates early. I also heard that a lot of taxi company's are actually "owned" by gangster etc, although their name may not be above the door, they are behind it and because it is a cash buiness can use it for money laundering etc. Now as I say I was thinking about buying a plate and renting it out to someone who wants to be their own boss and have a taxi on the road but maybe cant afford or has no desire to buy a plate. This apprealed to me as there are no maintenance fees etc and much less hassle than having an actual taxi on the road. The main thing that has put me off is that i've heard although you have paid 20 grand for the plate, technically you dont actually own it, you have been "issued" it from the council and it can be taken off you at anytime for whatever reason. i.e. say you were involved in a road traffic accident and done for dangerous driving, this would be you now with a criminal record and as such could be deemed not to be a "fit and proper person". As a result your plate which you have paid 20 grand for can be taken off you. As i said they are not supposed to have any monetry value but to get one you had to hand over the cash. Sorry for making this so long but I was just wondering if anyone can inform me if i am wrong about any of these things or possibly all of them just so that I could make an informed decision about this. I am also trying to bear in mind that it is unlikely I would have the plate taken off me and even if I did, as long as I got 4 or 5 years out of it then it wouldnt actually cost me anything. I was also thinking about putting it in my mothers name but then an accident and resultant charges/convictions can happen to anyone. Any advice on any of these things would be much appreciated, and again sorry if i've bored you all

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#2   20th December 2008, 12:36

Lord Harris I'm really getting into this forum. UK Business Forums Free Member   Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 143 Thanked 16 Times in 14 Posts

Funnily enough you and I are in almost the same position (in terms of age and proposed occupation) albeit I'm going it on my own. I am familiar with the system you refer to, and you can still turn a handsome profit from it but I'd rather be building up my own little brand to be honest. The plate system, well yeah local councils being corrupt on the matter is no big suprise to me. I am deciding wether to go down the 5 year HP route or save a bit more and buy a much more modestly priced model that has higher running costs. To turn a nice £££ you need two on the road, one being an MPV. __________________ There is no traffic on the extra mile! Last edited by Lord Harris; 20th December 2008 at 12:43.

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#3   20th December 2008, 14:39

Burden There are concerns over my Forum/Life balance. UK Business Forums Free Member   Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 2,166 Thanked 233 Times in 203 Posts

Ive worked in 2 different taxi companies and family own another. You will find it very hard to rent a plate unless in London or another high price area rather than a local town and council for £100. The drivers who cant afford can ALL afford a plate but not the full package. They want a Good Running Car / Plate / Radio all ready to go. Around my area thats £110-150 for a week usually. You can bet your arse you will be dragged out of bed at 3am when the car breaks down and the drivers wants a new one or wont pay the money for the package. Bearing in mind if its with a company you take the radio out you will be liable to pay the radio regardless which is discounted the more you think through. But yea i doubt you'd get £100 a week just for a plate. __________________ █ Burden Music █ Rehearsal & Tuition / Gig Supplies

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#4   20th December 2008, 16:48

Magsite I am part of the furniture here. ...UK Business Forums Full Member...   Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 1,297 Thanked 30 Times in 27 Posts

As a side line but still inline with taxi's, has anyone tried selling/buying advertising on a Taxi? Not sure how much a person would charge, any idea's to say, have the rear of the car where you can add info like a domain name? __________________ Booze Britain Magazine Subscriptions Dental Plans Free Laptop Broadband affiliate network review

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#5   20th December 2008, 17:48

Peterpaul I'm just testing the water here. UK Business Forums Free Member   Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 10 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts

Quote: Originally Posted by Lord Harris Funnily enough you and I are in almost the same position (in terms of age and proposed occupation) albeit I'm going it on my own. I am familiar with the system you refer to, and you can still turn a handsome profit from it but I'd rather be building up my own little brand to be honest. The plate system, well yeah local councils being corrupt on the matter is no big suprise to me. I am deciding wether to go down the 5 year HP route or save a bit more and buy a much more modestly priced model that has higher running costs. To turn a nice £££ you need two on the road, one being an MPV. Thanks for your reply m8, yeah I heard that soon its going to be a requirement for taxi companies (although not necessarily taxi owners) to have a certain amount of their cars to be MPV's that can transport disabled people. What I mean by that is if you have a plate/car package and go with "xyz taxi's ltd" for the radio package etc then that company must have a certain per centage of their cars being mpv's. I think you have to be careful what you buy as I know some people get 6 seaters and some get 8 seaters. I think there is a substantial difference in running costs. It would be great to have a distant relative in the council licensing department who "seen the need" for a few more plates and as if by magic the were issued to us lol. It seems to be another one of those enterprises where it is a case of who you know rather than what you know.

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#6   20th December 2008, 19:09

Burden There are concerns over my Forum/Life balance. UK Business Forums Free Member   Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 2,166 Thanked 233 Times in 203 Posts

Quote: Originally Posted by Peterpaul I think you have to be careful what you buy as I know some people get 6 seaters and some get 8 seaters. I think there is a substantial difference in running costs. This is only so true and can cause some problems. - People sometimes think.. well its Fare + Half for People Carrier (5+ Seats) so it works out on the running costs. But if your with a standard company you will do hires for normal cars at normal fare then when a job for 5+ seater is phoned in you will do it. Another thing you need to factor in is dead time / no hire / running for people carrier jobs etc. __________________ █ Burden Music █ Rehearsal & Tuition / Gig Supplies

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#7   20th December 2008, 19:13

Lord Harris I'm really getting into this forum. UK Business Forums Free Member   Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 143 Thanked 16 Times in 14 Posts

Does anyone know the credit situation with hire purchase at the moment? I have a good credit rating but I'd bee suprised if they haven't upped the lending cirteria? __________________ There is no traffic on the extra mile!

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#8   20th December 2008, 19:50

Peterpaul I'm just testing the water here. UK Business Forums Free Member   Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 10 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts

Quote: Originally Posted by i234i - People sometimes think.. well its Fare + Half for People Carrier (5+ Seats) so it works out on the running costs. But if your with a standard company you will do hires for normal cars at normal fare then when a job for 5+ seater is phoned in you will do it. Another thing you need to factor in is dead time / no hire / running for people carrier jobs etc. Yeah thats sort of what I meant (sorry should have been clearer lol) i.e. an 8 seater can be quite a lot more to run per mile than a 6 seater which in turn is more expensive to run that a saloon car. And at the end of the month it may work out that you have made less with the MPV than you would have with just a saloon car. most of the taxi company's in scotland use skoda octavias, I think if you have a few cars on the road and have a 6 seater or 8 seater that is reasonable on fuel then it will come into its own if you can manage to get a lot of private bookings etc for example taking people to night outs and then picking them up again as you can charge extra but per person it will work out cheaper or the same for the fare. I also heard that some taxi company's can get contracts with hospitals to take things like files etc to other hospitals but im not sure if thats true as surely it would pose security/data protection issues? if it is I cant see it lasting as surely they could email them or something? As I said I'm thinking of going down the plate route as its less hassle, but if I did get a taxi(s) on the road myself I think i'd stay away from the people carriers unless the company I was with were subsidising me in some way, but thats just me. The whole thing gets confusing as there are taxis and then there are private hire cars and although i know what the difference is (private hire cannot be flagged down or sit at ranks, it has to be pre-booked or phoned) I dont know how much private hire plates change hands for I've been told alsorts of figures by different people and someone even told me that you just apply to the council and as long as you're not a criminal and your car is suitable then you just pay a leasing fee to the council providing they do not deem there are too many on the area already. But i've never heard of anyone renting out a private hire plate but the plates that everyone rents out is the taxi plate which is usually around the 20 grand mark. Last edited by Peterpaul; 20th December 2008 at 19:55.

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#9   29th July 2009, 11:43

pinkjazz I'm just testing the water here. UK Business Forums Free Member   Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 3 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts

Hi, I am a taxi owner operator, trainer and assessor in the industry. I just thought I would offer some realism to the forum. You need to check if your licensing authority is deregulated. If it is, then you dont have to buy an existing plate, the council will have to issue you with one if both you and your vehicle are compliant with the licensing regulations. The vehicle will have to be tested, be compliant and you will have to hold a valid hackney or private hire licence for that area. In my area (which is deregulated) new operators can only put on a wheelchair accessible vehicle. Theres a difference between wheelchair accessible and MPV. Also to be able to put it in your mothers name, she will also have to be a licenced driver for that authority. I would advise you to lease a car before you buy as the cost of running your own taxi can be huge. Insurance, tax, mot, licence fees, breakdowns, servicing and repairs. The general public seem to think that taxi drivers earn lots of money because they get in, go a few mile down the road and hand over a tenner. They think,'he must be earning a fortune' what they dont realise is that youve been sitting on the rank for an hour and a half and you will go back and sit there again for an hour or so and get a job for 3 or 4 pounds. you work it out, because thats the reality. The deregulation of taxis in this country has allowed so many to be licenced that drivers have been reduced to earning less than the minimum wage. My income after expenses last year was zero. Most of the drivers I know are claiming some kind of benefits and those that dont, are working a very unhealthy 90 hours a week to pay the mortgage. Im sorry but that really is the reality.

Peterpaul I'm just testing the water here. UK Business Forums Free Member   Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 10 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts

Taxi's / Taxi Plates Hi guys I dont really post much but I do view a lot of the threads and try to learn as much as possible as there are obviously some very knowledgable people on here. The main purpose of this post is to ask for some information. I've managed to save up some money as ever since I left school (im 25 now) i've always wanted to have my own business. I know some people who have their own business and am under no illusions as to the amount of work and effort that has to be put into it, especially to get it up and running and established. I'll be honest and say that i've never had my own business as such as up until recently i've already had a steady job so always felt it was a bit of a risk to leave that to start up a business with no practical experience of running a proper business. However I was recently paid off and thought about starting up, however the current economic climate has definetly put me of off starting up (for now) but I have also noted the poor interest on saving's accounts (i've used up my ISA allowance and dont fancy the stock market at the moment). So I was thinking what the best thing to do with my money until I come up with a solid business idea and "go for it" would be basically keep it safe and try and "earn" as much from it as possible. I know someone who has some taxi's on the road and he rents them out for a certain sum every week. However if there are repairs etc he has to pay for these. His drivers only pay for the hire of the "package" that is the car, plate, radios and of course they have to pay for their own fuel. To get to the point (sorry for waffling) i've been offered another job and i think im going to take it so I wont really have the time to deal with getting repairs done, arranging for MOT's, new tyres and break pads to be fitted etc. Also I dont really have the proper connections that would allow me to get a taxi on the ramp in a garage ASAP after any fault occurred which could mean it could be off the road for days so it would not be making any money on those days. I was thinking about instead of getting a taxi on the road buying a taxi plate. The problem is it seems to be a bit of a "shady world". By that I mean absolutely no disrespect to drivers or owner/operators etc. Its just that from what i've found out, these plates, technically, should have no monetry value. Again this is just what i've found out and might very well be wrong, but apparantly "in the beginning" a council will look at how many taxi's are required on the roads and issue a certain amount of plates. People then apply for these plates and although i say no monetry value they may have to pay a small fee at first for council admin fees or whatever, but apparantly this is just a few hundred pounds if that. They then have a plate and thats fine. However once all the plates are issued then if someone wants one from a person who has been issued one then really they have to pay for it. Its not just a few hundred pounds either some of them are changing hands for around the 20 grand mark. If you cant afford to buy the plate from someone then you can rent it for around 100 pounds per week. Now I was looking at this and started to think thats 5 grand per year, which equates to 25% interest? That cant be bad where do I sign up to buy a plate from someone? The problem I have is that the whole thing seems a little "corrupt" as I've heard that council officials made sure that people they knew got some of the plates (not all of them of course) so thats basically someone has paid a couple of hundred pounds and then they either sell it for 20 grand or rent it out for 100 pounds per week. Again I didnt have too much of a problem with that as sometimes it does really pay to be in something from the ground floor so good on the people who foresaw the business opportunity and got the plates early. I also heard that a lot of taxi company's are actually "owned" by gangster etc, although their name may not be above the door, they are behind it and because it is a cash buiness can use it for money laundering etc. Now as I say I was thinking about buying a plate and renting it out to someone who wants to be their own boss and have a taxi on the road but maybe cant afford or has no desire to buy a plate. This apprealed to me as there are no maintenance fees etc and much less hassle than having an actual taxi on the road. The main thing that has put me off is that i've heard although you have paid 20 grand for the plate, technically you dont actually own it, you have been "issued" it from the council and it can be taken off you at anytime for whatever reason. i.e. say you were involved in a road traffic accident and done for dangerous driving, this would be you now with a criminal record and as such could be deemed not to be a "fit and proper person". As a result your plate which you have paid 20 grand for can be taken off you. As i said they are not supposed to have any monetry value but to get one you had to hand over the cash. Sorry for making this so long but I was just wondering if anyone can inform me if i am wrong about any of these things or possibly all of them just so that I could make an informed decision about this. I am also trying to bear in mind that it is unlikely I would have the plate taken off me and even if I did, as long as I got 4 or 5 years out of it then it wouldnt actually cost me anything. I was also thinking about putting it in my mothers name but then an accident and resultant charges/convictions can happen to anyone. Any advice on any of these things would be much appreciated, and again sorry if i've bored you all

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#2   20th December 2008, 12:36

Lord Harris I'm really getting into this forum. UK Business Forums Free Member   Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 143 Thanked 16 Times in 14 Posts

Funnily enough you and I are in almost the same position (in terms of age and proposed occupation) albeit I'm going it on my own. I am familiar with the system you refer to, and you can still turn a handsome profit from it but I'd rather be building up my own little brand to be honest. The plate system, well yeah local councils being corrupt on the matter is no big suprise to me. I am deciding wether to go down the 5 year HP route or save a bit more and buy a much more modestly priced model that has higher running costs. To turn a nice £££ you need two on the road, one being an MPV. __________________ There is no traffic on the extra mile! Last edited by Lord Harris; 20th December 2008 at 12:43.

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#3   20th December 2008, 14:39

Burden There are concerns over my Forum/Life balance. UK Business Forums Free Member   Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 2,166 Thanked 233 Times in 203 Posts

Ive worked in 2 different taxi companies and family own another. You will find it very hard to rent a plate unless in London or another high price area rather than a local town and council for £100. The drivers who cant afford can ALL afford a plate but not the full package. They want a Good Running Car / Plate / Radio all ready to go. Around my area thats £110-150 for a week usually. You can bet your arse you will be dragged out of bed at 3am when the car breaks down and the drivers wants a new one or wont pay the money for the package. Bearing in mind if its with a company you take the radio out you will be liable to pay the radio regardless which is discounted the more you think through. But yea i doubt you'd get £100 a week just for a plate. __________________ █ Burden Music █ Rehearsal & Tuition / Gig Supplies

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#4   20th December 2008, 16:48

Magsite I am part of the furniture here. ...UK Business Forums Full Member...   Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 1,297 Thanked 30 Times in 27 Posts

As a side line but still inline with taxi's, has anyone tried selling/buying advertising on a Taxi? Not sure how much a person would charge, any idea's to say, have the rear of the car where you can add info like a domain name? __________________ Booze Britain Magazine Subscriptions Dental Plans Free Laptop Broadband affiliate network review

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#5   20th December 2008, 17:48

Peterpaul I'm just testing the water here. UK Business Forums Free Member   Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 10 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts

Quote: Originally Posted by Lord Harris Funnily enough you and I are in almost the same position (in terms of age and proposed occupation) albeit I'm going it on my own. I am familiar with the system you refer to, and you can still turn a handsome profit from it but I'd rather be building up my own little brand to be honest. The plate system, well yeah local councils being corrupt on the matter is no big suprise to me. I am deciding wether to go down the 5 year HP route or save a bit more and buy a much more modestly priced model that has higher running costs. To turn a nice £££ you need two on the road, one being an MPV. Thanks for your reply m8, yeah I heard that soon its going to be a requirement for taxi companies (although not necessarily taxi owners) to have a certain amount of their cars to be MPV's that can transport disabled people. What I mean by that is if you have a plate/car package and go with "xyz taxi's ltd" for the radio package etc then that company must have a certain per centage of their cars being mpv's. I think you have to be careful what you buy as I know some people get 6 seaters and some get 8 seaters. I think there is a substantial difference in running costs. It would be great to have a distant relative in the council licensing department who "seen the need" for a few more plates and as if by magic the were issued to us lol. It seems to be another one of those enterprises where it is a case of who you know rather than what you know.

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#6   20th December 2008, 19:09

Burden There are concerns over my Forum/Life balance. UK Business Forums Free Member   Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 2,166 Thanked 233 Times in 203 Posts

Quote: Originally Posted by Peterpaul I think you have to be careful what you buy as I know some people get 6 seaters and some get 8 seaters. I think there is a substantial difference in running costs. This is only so true and can cause some problems. - People sometimes think.. well its Fare + Half for People Carrier (5+ Seats) so it works out on the running costs. But if your with a standard company you will do hires for normal cars at normal fare then when a job for 5+ seater is phoned in you will do it. Another thing you need to factor in is dead time / no hire / running for people carrier jobs etc. __________________ █ Burden Music █ Rehearsal & Tuition / Gig Supplies

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#7   20th December 2008, 19:13

Lord Harris I'm really getting into this forum. UK Business Forums Free Member   Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 143 Thanked 16 Times in 14 Posts

Does anyone know the credit situation with hire purchase at the moment? I have a good credit rating but I'd bee suprised if they haven't upped the lending cirteria? __________________ There is no traffic on the extra mile!

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#8   20th December 2008, 19:50

Peterpaul I'm just testing the water here. UK Business Forums Free Member   Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 10 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts

Quote: Originally Posted by i234i - People sometimes think.. well its Fare + Half for People Carrier (5+ Seats) so it works out on the running costs. But if your with a standard company you will do hires for normal cars at normal fare then when a job for 5+ seater is phoned in you will do it. Another thing you need to factor in is dead time / no hire / running for people carrier jobs etc. Yeah thats sort of what I meant (sorry should have been clearer lol) i.e. an 8 seater can be quite a lot more to run per mile than a 6 seater which in turn is more expensive to run that a saloon car. And at the end of the month it may work out that you have made less with the MPV than you would have with just a saloon car. most of the taxi company's in scotland use skoda octavias, I think if you have a few cars on the road and have a 6 seater or 8 seater that is reasonable on fuel then it will come into its own if you can manage to get a lot of private bookings etc for example taking people to night outs and then picking them up again as you can charge extra but per person it will work out cheaper or the same for the fare. I also heard that some taxi company's can get contracts with hospitals to take things like files etc to other hospitals but im not sure if thats true as surely it would pose security/data protection issues? if it is I cant see it lasting as surely they could email them or something? As I said I'm thinking of going down the plate route as its less hassle, but if I did get a taxi(s) on the road myself I think i'd stay away from the people carriers unless the company I was with were subsidising me in some way, but thats just me. The whole thing gets confusing as there are taxis and then there are private hire cars and although i know what the difference is (private hire cannot be flagged down or sit at ranks, it has to be pre-booked or phoned) I dont know how much private hire plates change hands for I've been told alsorts of figures by different people and someone even told me that you just apply to the council and as long as you're not a criminal and your car is suitable then you just pay a leasing fee to the council providing they do not deem there are too many on the area already. But i've never heard of anyone renting out a private hire plate but the plates that everyone rents out is the taxi plate which is usually around the 20 grand mark. Last edited by Peterpaul; 20th December 2008 at 19:55.

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#9   29th July 2009, 11:43

pinkjazz I'm just testing the water here. UK Business Forums Free Member   Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 3 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts

Hi, I am a taxi owner operator, trainer and assessor in the industry. I just thought I would offer some realism to the forum. You need to check if your licensing authority is deregulated. If it is, then you dont have to buy an existing plate, the council will have to issue you with one if both you and your vehicle are compliant with the licensing regulations. The vehicle will have to be tested, be compliant and you will have to hold a valid hackney or private hire licence for that area. In my area (which is deregulated) new operators can only put on a wheelchair accessible vehicle. Theres a difference between wheelchair accessible and MPV. Also to be able to put it in your mothers name, she will also have to be a licenced driver for that authority. I would advise you to lease a car before you buy as the cost of running your own taxi can be huge. Insurance, tax, mot, licence fees, breakdowns, servicing and repairs. The general public seem to think that taxi drivers earn lots of money because they get in, go a few mile down the road and hand over a tenner. They think,'he must be earning a fortune' what they dont realise is that youve been sitting on the rank for an hour and a half and you will go back and sit there again for an hour or so and get a job for 3 or 4 pounds. you work it out, because thats the reality. The deregulation of taxis in this country has allowed so many to be licenced that drivers have been reduced to earning less than the minimum wage. My income after expenses last year was zero. Most of the drivers I know are claiming some kind of benefits and those that dont, are working a very unhealthy 90 hours a week to pay the mortgage. Im sorry but that really is the reality.